


Who Says Socks Have To Come In Pairs?

by gala_apples



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Bad Sex, F/M, Group Marriage, Group Sex, Infidelity, M/M, Marijuana, Public Sex, Skinny Dipping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-07
Updated: 2012-05-07
Packaged: 2017-11-05 01:16:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/400317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gala_apples/pseuds/gala_apples
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Who knew that James Potter was so full of brilliant ideas? For two weeks in December the Marauders and Lily attempt to redefine their relationships.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Who Says Socks Have To Come In Pairs?

**Author's Note:**

> I had it set in 77, and the moon phase was fine. Then the beta pointed out it wasn't enough time for the characters to get themselves in the mess they're in. So I switched to 78, and only realised a day before this was due that the moon would now be on the 14th instead of the 25th, which completely messes up what plot there is. So it's still in 78, but with a 77 moon. Sorry.

**How Things Ended**  
When James slams his drink to the table, Sirius knows it's a bad sign. He knows everything about his best mates. He can read their body language like a book. To an outside observer James slamming things around might be viewed as either destruction or enthusiasm. But they cannot comprehend the text that is James Potter, and they would fail any essay they had to write on him. 

No, James slamming objects around means he's trying to work up his courage. Sometimes it's good; Intermediate Transfigurations tossed to the floor just before James changed his mind about trying out for the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Sometimes it's bad, Advanced Potion Making tossed onto the couch before James kissed Alice so they could make Lily and Frank jealous. Sometimes it's noble; a hand-blown glass unicorn shattering against the wall as James shouted at his parents that if Sirius couldn't stay, he'd be leaving. Sometimes it's stupid, uncountable bodychecks before each prank is executed. 

Whatever it is, Sirius is with him - and more importantly, with him with enthusiasm. Ten years and a handful more summers of being stuck in a house that leached away happiness with parents that frowned on all excitement, Sirius knows the importance of enthusiasm. So even if he doesn't like James' plan, whatever it might be, he's _always_ 100% behind him. 

Still, James is drunk, and while Sirius is willing to get into a brawl to protect James' courageous picking a fight, he hopes that's not actually the master plan. 

"Follow me!" he says without a slur, which is a good sign in Sirius' book. James stands with hardly a wobble, and Sirius follows suit. He raises his stein to his lips and chugs the last bit of his beer before walking after James. After all, there's no sense in wasting. Remus and Peter are close behind him, Peter leaning slightly on Remus. Wormtail primarily enjoys other intoxicants so alcohol has more of an effect on him than the rest of the Marauders. 

James leaves through the Floo first, calling out his and Lily's address. Peter says "Well, thank Merlin for that," and Sirius isn't sure whether he means because James' brilliant idea doesn't involve goading the burly patrons of the bar, or because James is using a Floo, not walking out in the knee high snow drifts. Either way, Sirius agrees.

Sirius places his boots on the mantel of the fireplace and only spends a moment hoping they won't drip too badly before moving out of the way so Remus and Peter can come through. They repeat the gesture and collapse on various pieces of living room furniture. Sirius chooses the armchair nearest the fireplace - it's covered in Padfoot's hair and no amount of cleaning charms can get every strand.

Sirius gulps when Lily comes into the room. It's clear James has woken her from a sound sleep; her hair is pulled back into a ponytail but pieces have escaped, and she's wearing a pink terrycloth dressing gown and slippers.

"What did you do?" she sighs, eyes still mostly closed.

"What did _you_ do?" Peter hisses at James. He's got an irrational fear of upsetting women. From what Sirius has garnered Wormtail's mum and sister were as mental as his own, but Peter isn't as good at dealing with crazy bints.

"I didn't do anything!" Lily misunderstands, which is understandable considering she can't see the object of Peter's glare. "James woke me up, told me we had something important to discuss as a group. I thought it might be a mission, but then James' breath smells like beer, so I decided one of you has done something dumb."

"We have no idea what he's on about. We just followed him out of the pub." Sirius loves how comfortable Remus feels in James and Lily's house, though it always depresses him when they go back home and Remus acts like he's out of place. He wishes Remus would flop back on the couch in their house, head in the middle cushion with his feet on the armrest, the way he does here.

"We've all done something dumb!" James states emphatically, arm around Lily's waist.

"Enlighten us," Peter mutters.

"We've all lied, repeatedly." Sirius has a bad feeling. A really bad feeling. A quick glance around the room shows everyone but James is nervous. He thinks if everyone is lying, there's probably a good reason for it. Thinks but doesn't say, he doesn't want to force himself into the spotlight.

"It's stupid really. We're all friends, we should just be honest. I'll go-"

"If we're not telling each other something, there's probably a good reason." Remus offers. Sirius beams at him, though he's staring straight at the ceiling and probably can't see. Brilliant boyfriends think alike.

"There are even better reasons to tell." James is smiling, but he bumps his hip against Lily's, and it's clear he's reaching for courage again. "We've all been cheating. We're supposed to be two couples and a single man, but I'm willing to bet everyone in this room has had sex with everyone in this room."

Sirius, who most certainly _hasn't_ had sex with Peter or Lily, takes another look around the room. Remus is looking straight at the ceiling, but his toes are curled. Peter's arms are crossed, and Lily is blushing. All of his friends are slags. He never would have guessed.

"And what would you have us do about it?" Remus asks, his voice cold. "You think we'd all be better off if we fought about it, and avoided each other?"

This is a sodding nightmare. A bloody fucking nightmare, and his wand hand is twitching with the urge to Obliviate everyone in the room. Sirius doesn't want Lily to divorce James over their occasional dalliance. He doesn't want Remus' heart to be broken because they love each other, but James is _James_ and things sometimes happen. 

"Don't be ridiculous! Not only should we not stop being friends, we should continue our various relationships. We should just be honest about it."

"What are you suggesting? An orgy?" Peter should be laughing at the idea -he laughs at most things- but he's not and it worries Sirius. 

"I don't see why not. We all love each other, why can't we just be honest about it?" A belch takes away from the seriousness of James' statement.

"I haven't had sex with Sirius." Lily says, startling everyone except Remus, who still hasn't moved. Sirius could believe he was dead, if not for the talking and the slow movement of his chest with each cool breath.

"Nor have I, actually." Contrary to Remus' shutting down, Sirius is speeding up, and at Peter's statement he begins to hyperventilate.

"Well, then that's it!" Lily is shaking, Remus is still, Peter is moments from bailing, Sirius is rocking back and forth in the dander covered chair and James is _smiling_. Sirius kind of wants to murder him.

"What's what? I need a smoke." Peter pats down his pockets, but he can only find a lighter, no joints, and for that Sirius is absurdly grateful. Lily and James have a no smoking in the house rule, and if Peter goes outside Sirius is sure he won't be coming back. He'll just disappear forever, because Peter is a rat, and they're good at hiding.

"We all have holidays coming, except for Remus because he doesn't work. So we'll try, just for those two weeks, to have a relationship with each other. No lying, just friendship and shagging. You three'll move in, and we'll see if we can make it work."

"Don't you think you ought to involve your wife on that decision?" Remus' voice is so cold it makes Sirius want to cry. He knows it's Remus' way of preparing himself to live without his mates, detach his emotions, and Sirius can't stand it. It was bad enough after Snape, and it's even worse now.

"My wife has slept with two of my best friends, and probably plans to do so again. I've slept with all my friends, and I definitely plan to do it again. So why do we have to lie about it? It doesn't make sense."

Sirius has hope, but it's a lie. Even if everyone else agrees, Remus won't. Remus has already recompiled himself after his brief mental breakdown at being outed, and his mind already has constructed walls to prevent him from being weak again.

"While I'm still in desperate need of a smoke, I agree. I hate the sneaking around. I want to be with you all, and I don't want to lie about it."

Lily breaks away from James and for a moment Sirius shatters. He wonders what in the pub made James snap, and how any of them will ever survive without each other's friendship. This is the night that everything good dies, and Sirius knows he's not good, but he wants to die too.

But Lily kneels beside the couch and grabs one of Remus' large hands with both of her own. "Remus, please. This isn't about Sirius not wanting you, this is about everyone wanting everyone. I know you want to be wanted. And it's not because you're a werewolf, it's because you're _human_. I want to be wanted, Peter wants to be wanted, James and Sirius want to be wanted, even if they never show any vulnerability." And that shows how poorly he and Lily know each other, because Sirius sometimes feels like his entire life is based upon trying to hide his obvious vulnerabilities. "You've already had sex with me and James and Sirius, what's so different about being honest about it?"

Merlin bless her soul, it works. His vision is skewed from the rocking back and forth, but Sirius can still see the tension leave Remus. He can see the accordance long before it's verbal.

"How about it, Sirius?" James is sombre in a way they normally aren't with each other. 

"Of course!" he wheezes, still hyperventilating, though it's getting better. 

"So it's settled then. We're all spending our two weeks here, and we'll work it out or figure out how to handle it not working. Until then I'm going for a nap." James walks out of the room and Sirius is torn between loving him for finally getting it out into the open, and hating him for being so casual about something that can still end terribly. He settles for numb, and walks over to Remus, where Lily is still kneeling.

"Shall we go home now?"

"Right." 

**Twelve**   
When Remus comes in with his small duffle, he sees he's the last person to enter Waverly Place. It makes sense that Peter and Sirius have entered before him, they're not used to having days off. Instead of waking up and going to work, they woke up and went to Waverly Place. Remus, who know how to use the non-schedule of the unemployed to his benefit went to the library for several hours before getting a light lunch of roasted chestnuts before coming here.

"So, do we just start an orgy now?" It's the question on everyone's mind, Remus is just surprised Lily said it not Sirius.

"Would you fuck on a first date between two people?" Honestly, yes. But Remus reckons James is trying to make this more than awkward group sex. "We should get to know each other."

"I'm pretty sure we all know each other." Peter's grin means he's baked, but Remus doesn't care. It's taken him from a nervous constantly twitching boy to a more casual man, and that Remus can only approve of. 

"Shut it, Wormtail. I've got an idea." Remus barely stops his hand from racing to his face to pinch the bridge of his nose. James' ideas aren't always the best, though Sirius treats each like gold dripping from his lips. "Everybody give me your left sock."

Remus rolls his eyes but takes the worn grey sock off and gives it to James. Soon he's got a handful, his and Peter's are both knitted, Sirius' novelty with stripes of black and white morphing into their opposite colour, Lily's novelty sock with little cherries that actually smell like cherries.

With his other hand James waves his wand and the rubbish bin comes from the bathroom. He tips the used tissues impatiently onto the carpet and puts the socks in the bin, completely ignoring Lily's glare. "So, every day we'll draw out who's going on a date that day. They'll sleep in the master bedroom, the rest of us will kip in the spare bedroom. They'll have sex if they want, I reckon most will want. The rest of us are stuck with wanking, no falling back into old habits." James is smirking, and for the first time Remus doesn't feel guilty for wanting to snog the expression away.

"I'll only play if you pick up the rubbish," Lily says, and it's such a mundane thing in such a strange situation that everyone laughs. Remus feels better for it, because it means that no matter what happens this next week, their personalities will come out intact. He might lose everything else, but he won't lose himself in this.

Peter Accios the kitchen bag and hovers it beside James. "I'd hurry if I were you. I think it's leaking." Sure enough, there is something dripping from the corner onto the carpet, not that Remus wants to speculate what it is. James picks up the tissues then Peter takes the bag back as Sirius mutters a cleaning charm to clean the carpet. It occurs to Remus that they've already got the domestic part of the relationship down.

James raises his shirt collar over his head and reaches into the bin. It's not a foolproof plan, surely the socks must feel different, but Remus decides not to bicker. It's not like he can think of a better way to do it. Out of the bin comes a sock with cherries, and a sock with a hole in the toe. 

As James pulls his shirt back down Lily complains "We've already wasted half the day!"

"Well, it's your fault you have a partner that can't show up on time."

"There was no specified time!" Remus protests but James continues to argue haughtily with Lily (who suggests they start tomorrow) and he's not heard.

It cuts to the heart of it, the first day's pairing putting two members of the original relationships together. Of course, it could be worse. If the first pairing had been Lily and Sirius, his boyfriend might have bailed. Sirius has never had sex with a woman in his life, and that's the random draw day Remus is most worried about. 

"Well, come on then," Lily jostles Remus out of his worries. She beckons as she walks backwards towards the master bedroom, and Remus guesses James won the argument. Not by intelligent points, just by sheer abrasiveness. He's a lot like Sirius, while he and Peter and Lily are more willing to let things go.

Remus is nervous, as if he hasn't had sex with Lily before. He closes the door and draws the curtains, then begins to unbutton his shirt with shaking hands. Her t-shirt comes off far more easily, showing a lacy but well worn pink bra. Pretty but practical, that's Lily. He takes a step closer, longer arms curling around her to undo it, and try as he might he can't quite get the hooks.

"Stop." It's a command, and Remus wants to cry. If his fumbling has turned Lily off, then he's singlehandedly ruined everything. His hands fall to his side and he talks a step back.

"Look, it's obvious you're not comfortable. So there's no point in doing this if you aren't. Even if you get hard, you're not going to be enjoying yourself, it'll be like a chore. I don't want that, I'm sure you don't want that. Go get your records."

Remus leaves the master bedroom and is mildly surprised that James and Sirius aren't pressed to the door nearest the bed, trying to hear everything. Instead Sirius and Peter are playing a game of chess and James is idly catching and releasing his snitch. 

He's brought an entire milk crate with him, but it's easy to pick out the album that has the most comfort in it. "What's this?" Lily asks as he slides the black circle out of it's sheath. He's not entirely sure how it can play in a wizard household, only that Peter rigged something for all three houses. It's a lifesaver, it's awkward enough living in a house that Sirius owns and refuses to let him help pay for without having music to soothe him.

"The first album my dad ever played for me. It's their first album, I was ten when I heard it."

"That's pretty old for a first song." 

As the guitar starts Remus flops back onto the bed, feet pressed against the headboard. Lily joins him, tangling a hand in his chest hair. Remus moves his fists with the slow drumbeat, enjoying as it speeds up about two minutes in.

"Can we not go there? It's not that I won't tell you sometime, it's just talking about it isn't going to make me _more_ comfortable."

"Sure." She, better than Sirius, knows how to leave things alone. At five minutes it picks up and Remus bangs his head along with it hard enough that the bed starts squeaking. 

They just listen through Black Sabbath and The Wizard, though at the end Lily giggles and asks Remus if he thinks the singer's met Albus. It's when Behind The Wall of Sleep starts that Remus rolls onto his side and starts to design a trail of hickeys on Lily's neck. She tastes so sweet, so female, and the best part is the utter lack of stubble.

It's a hissing near silence by the time Remus pulls away, Lily's neck already red and darkening. Realising he won't have to heal the marks away sends a spark of excitement through him, and it's with a heavy erection straining against his trousers that he gets up to flip the album over.

To the sounds of Evil Woman he unbuckles his belt and lets his trousers drop to the floor. Remus can't help but sigh when his cock is free of its restraints, and Lily giggles but it doesn't bother him. He crawls onto the bed and pushes up her skirt. He starts biting and sucking at her thighs, slowly making his way towards her cunt.

She's already wet when Remus licks at her, her hands in his hair guiding his mouth to her clit. Remus wants to laugh right into her inner folds. Less than twelve hours ago when he'd woken Sirius up his boyfriend had guided his head in the same way. There must just be something tuggable about his hair. 

Her knees are crushing her head as she whimpers, hardly loud enough to hear over Sleeping Village. "Stop, stop," she moans, but Remus doesn't stop, won't until he wrings a second orgasm from her. "Stop, fuck me, stop."

 _Stop_ is not in Remus' vocabulary.

 **Eleven**  
Sirius always sleeps in when he isn't prodded by Remus, informing him he's going to be late for work. So when he finally does slowly drift up into consciousness, he's not surprised to see the sun streaming in though the poorly angled blinds. It's a poor guest room that allows for blinds, in Sirius' opinion. Blinds are the devil, letting in light at four thirty when one is trying to get to sleep after a fun night. Chirping birds are lesser demons.

He estimates it's around noon which isn't too late as far as it goes. Sirius gives a quick glance at the other twin, but James is already up. He pulls on pyjama bottoms and a t-shirt and leaves the guest room without bothering to make the bed. The concept has never made sense to him, why would you waste time cleaning something that was going to get messy every single night? 

Remus is eating a grilled cheese sandwich, chair tilted back slightly so his calves are resting on the table, plate balanced carefully on his groin. His smile of good morning is cheddar orange.

"Did you make that? Make me one?"

"Peter made it, and he made for James and Lily too. He made an entire batch at lunch, which you missed as you were sleeping. Grab a bowl of cereal, and wake up next time." Remus is too cheery, so Sirius darts over and takes the bottom of Remus' sandwich. Ignoring his protests he takes a defiant bite. It's delicious, the cheese is sharp and almost spicy.

The master bedroom has two sets of double French doors, a set on either side of the large fireplace. It must make it obvious to Lily when James stumbles in from being with one of the Marauders. Or maybe it's the other way around, James being woken up by Lily walking out of the fire then going directly for a shower. 

One of the doors has two socks on it with a sticking charm. The cool colour changing sock is his, he can't tell until he crosses the room and observes the slight difference of James' black wool socks and Peter's navy that he and Peter are going to 'date' today. And honestly, the idea seems a little ridiculous to him. Pete's cool, but you can't make yourself want to fuck a bloke that you're not attracted to. But it's James' idea, so he has to back it up. And if it works, then everything will be so much better.

"So, where'd you like to go?" he asks Peter casually.

"We have to go somewhere? Lily and Remus didn't."

"Where is Lily, anyway? And what did you have in mind if we're not going?"

"I think she's seeing Alice and Frank. And James got an owl to meet Dumbledore, but he said he won't take very long." Remus explains, mouth still full.

"You wanna go for a smoke?"

One social call, one call to war. Not bad, for a Thursday morning. As for Peter's suggestion, it's not often any of them join him in his intoxication. But Sirius isn't against the idea completely, so he takes his boots off the mantel and tosses Peter's at him. 

The back porch is clean of snow, though the grass is covered. James sweeps it off every time it snows, and whilst the wood is cold through his pajamas it's not wet. Peter opens a glasses case on his knee and digs through the various paraphernalia to find what he wants. He chooses a long and thin pipe, black metal, and balances it on his other knee whilst his hands pull apart the nugget and put the smaller pieces in the pipe. "It'll burn better," he explains, though Sirius hasn't asked.

Peter lights it and takes his hoot, then passes it to Sirius. It tastes full, which is a ridiculous adjective and yet it's true. His large exhale makes his head tingle, and he wonders if it's really coming on so quickly, or if he's only psyched himself out. Peter takes a second hit, and this time when Sirius inhales he gets a brilliant idea. Before he can exhale he presses his lips directly onto Peter's, and then opens his mouth. Smoke comes out their nostrils as their tongues slide against each other. 

Sirius doesn't notice Peter working at his drawstring until his bottoms have slid down and his lower back is exposed to the December air. Peter easily slips his hand between fabric and skin, but the wind is making Sirius get gooseflesh.

He breaks away from Peter's delicious lips to ask "Can we do this part inside?" Peter stands and they open the backdoor. Remus is still in the kitchen, still lounging with his legs up. The only difference is the book he's reading instead of eating a sandwich. He looks up at the creaking of the door, and Sirius wonders if they look as debauched as he feels. Peter's grinning, like he always does when he's stoned, and his hair is mussed from Sirius' fingers. As for Sirius, he's sure he's blushing, and he hasn't bothered to retie his bottoms, just holds a crumple of fabric on his left hip, trying to ignore that the fabric is slumping diagonally and the hair of his groin is probably showing.

"We're going to go use the master," Peter explains, and Sirius can't help the laugh that burbles out. 

Sirius closes the French door behind him, but as he tries to draw the curtains they get stuck and he can't be arsed to figure them out. If Remus wants to watch, he doesn't mind. They strip and on the master bed and Peter's hand is back on his cock. He strokes Sirius' foreskin lightly with his thumb, and the movement sends shivers through his entire body. It's like he's still outside, naked in winter. When it recedes he keeps the same light touch on the head of his cock, and each whisper light stroke makes Sirius quiver all the harder until he his fingers grab Peter's extended arm harshly, and comes all over the bedspread.

Once he's stopped shaking Sirius pushes at Peter's intoxicant pliant body until he's resting on his back, legs still dangling off the bed. He takes Peter's bollocks in one hand and lowers his open mouth over Peter's cock. It's strange to be sucking someone that isn't Remus, James had wanted only fucking and Remus was the first bloke he was ever with. Peter fits differently in his mouth than Remus does, and behaves differently. Remus is usually good at holding still, but Peter's hips cant up each time Sirius' lips slide up, like Peter can't stand the idea of not being in Sirius' mouth. 

He tastes different too, when he spills himself into Sirius' mouth. Sirius isn't sure if it's the pot accentuating things, or if it's just the truth that Peter's come is saltier than Remus'. It doesn't really matter, it's only manners to swallow it. Said out loud it might sound cruel, but in his head he can say that whilst Peter will never be his first choice, he's a pretty fun second.

 **Ten**  
It's strange to wake up in a room that doesn't have Sirius in it. 

Remus didn't go home for Christmas seventh year, instead going with Sirius and Peter to James'. It was great fun, everyone in sleeping bags in the basement, room lit at night with the tree lights. James' dad had been a baker before retiring, so every day of the two weeks there had been piping hot bread and cake. Sure the floor was a bit uncomfortable, but trying to fit four bedrolls in a room slightly bigger then a bathtub had made for a bonding experience.

The day they left Hogwarts Remus moved into Sirius' home. It's never felt like anything but Sirius' home, even though Sirius tells him it's his as well. Remus can't see how it can be any part his, he doesn't pay for it, he doesn't have any furniture in it. It feels like he doesn't have to right to put his feet on the coffee table, and Remus puts his feet on _everything_.

All in all, it's been about sixteen months since he's woken up and not smiled at the way Sirius' hair moves with his breathing - he always falls asleep on his back, with his hair strewn about his face. But this morning Sirius is in the master with Peter, and he can't deny that it hurts a bit. Not nearly as much as he thought it would, when James forced the truth into the open he'd prepared to be completely wrecked, and it hadn't happened. It's not complete and utter devastation, it's more like when you want the double chocolate glazed doughnut but somebody's taken it and all that's left is the chocolate dip. Irritated, but aware that you can still get what you want in the future.

Like someone is reading his mind, when James dips his hand into the bin he shows those in the room the striped sock and the grey sock. James goes to stick them to the closed doors but Remus shakes his head. Peter's already up, cooking bacon for everyone, and Sirius is sleeping through their time. "I'll get him."

He doesn't bother to knock on the door, Sirius won't wake up anyway. He pulls off his bottoms so he's just in socks and t-shirt and cuddles against his warm boyfriend. Remus loves a hundred things about his boyfriend, but one of the qualities is how delightfully warm he gets while he's sleeping. Another is while James drools in his sleep, and Peter snores, Sirius manages to look regal, like he's the king of dreamland.

For a few minutes he just lets himself rest against Sirius. Then his brain gets the better of his body, and he wants to talk. Sirius is not generally an easy one to get up, and over the years Remus has learned direct methods are better. So he sits up and pokes his index finger right into Sirius' eye. 

As always, it works. Sirius' eyes spring open as he looks in every direction for the nonexistent threat. He goes from sleeping lord to leaping into action, and Remus enjoys watching the transition. Ever since second year it's been his job to make sure Sirius gets his arse out of bed in time for classes. "Morning Moony. Why you in here?"

"It's our day, and I wanted to talk while you were still cuddly." Remus smiles, and in response Sirius rolls to his side and holds out his arm. Remus lies back down and presses his back against Sirius' heated stomach. His breathing quickly falls in rhythm with his boyfriends.

"So, talk..."

"You think it should bother me that I've turned into my mother?" Remus asks heavily. 

"Well, since I'm not your father, everything should be alright." Sirius' breathing on his neck is making him hard, which is rather distracting from the depression he should be feeling at the thought of his parents fucked up life. It's what he hadn't told Lily, and doesn't know exactly how to broach the subject. How do you go about saying _my mum cheated on my dad with this bloke Fenrir Greyback, and when my dad found out and confronted him, Fenrir didn't take kindly to it. He decided that since my dad's main argument was that it was disgusting to cheat on a parent, he'd make the child undesirable so my dad wouldn't care anymore. So my mum blamed my dad for what happened, and divorced him and wouldn't let me see him for four years_ without making it seem like you want sympathy?

"You think we're fucked up for all cheating on each other?"

"I think that James is right, and if we'd just been honest about it earlier we could have figured this out already."

"Sirius, don't just agree with James. Tell me what you think!" The most aggravating thing about his boyfriend is his willingness to do everything James says.

"I think that even if Peter or Lily aren't exactly my type, we have to remember the stakes."

Remus is distracted from pursuing the 'how was Peter' question by the mention of stakes. "What?"

Sirius tightens his arms around Remus, pulls him in closer. "You know I love you. But, as shitty as this makes me, you're not the only one I love. And I'm okay with that being the same with you and me and you and Lily. But we're the Marauders plus one now, you know that as well as I do, that we can't change that. Remus, either this works with all of us, or this works with none of us. And can you handle it if we don't have anyone? Because I can't. I need this group to work, because I can't stand the idea of James being stuck with only Lily, and you being stuck with only me, and Peter being alone."

It seems pretty fucking horrible to Remus too.

 **Nine**  
Everything in Peter's life opposes something else. Nearly every waking moment is trying to sort out what matters more, and has been as long as he can remember. It hurt sometimes, when James and Sirius and even the professors would treat him like he was slow. He isn't stupid, he's never been. He's merely preoccupied.

No wonder he smokes on an almost hourly basis. Marijuana seems to slow down time, it gives him more time to think. Even better, it appeals to his baser nature, making choices more obvious. Sober Peter worries about personal safety vs group loyalty, stoned Peter likes his friends. Not that it's that cut and dry, of course. If it was just him, it would be easier to say to hell with safety. But he's got his parents to worry about too, the possibility that choosing the wrong side will get them murdered. The third good thing pot does is make it easy to distract himself, so he doesn't have to think about how deep in the mire he is.

He hears the door open, but doesn't bother to sit up. They must be used to his eccentricities by now, there's no point in trying to be ashamed of them. The person stands over him and attempts to look him in the eye. Even upside down he can tell it's Remus, sandy hair and eyes that make him look perpetually sad.

"You aren't cold? You've been out here awhile."

"The porch is dry, and the clouds are interesting. Would you like to partake?" Peter inches over as Remus lies down beside him.

"You've just been looking at clouds?" he asks after a few minutes of silence.

"It's more interesting when you're stoned. I'm sure it works when you're sober too. Can't you see any shapes?" Peter hears rather than sees Remus adjusting so he can better look, the wood creaks as he moves. 

"I guess that one looks like a train." Peter grins, happy Remus is playing along. "What do you see?"

"Most of today's have been dancing ladies. I guess I'm in a dancing mood."

"Right." There's a silence that feels heavy to Peter before Remus adds "Do you want to go inside?"

"You and Sirius spent nearly the whole 24 hours snuggling. You sure you want to be with others?" It's not that Peter doesn't want to shag Remus, he's a fit bloke. And handsome, except for the scars, which is hardly his fault. Besides, he can hardly dislike Remus for being scarred when he's fat, it would be hypocritical or something. But as far as opposing needs go; get laid or make Remus feel comfortable, it's not much of an issue.

"Yeah. It's not going to work any other way, and it has to work someway."

"We could do the same, if you'd rather."

"What?"

"Snuggle. You don't have to fuck, if you don't want to. Not all couples fuck, I'm pretty sure my parents have stopped. Not that I've asked them of course. That would be a horrid conversation."

"We could just continue looking at the clouds?" Remus offers. And Peter's a bit disappointed, feels slightly unwanted. But as the sky continues to subtly change, Remus slips his hand into Peter's, and things become okay.

 **Eight**  
Each Marauder wakes up differently. Sirius is always last to wake, but immediately alert upon being woken. Remus is always the first awake, sometimes James wonders if he sleeps at all. Peter, no matter what time of day it is that he wakes is groggy for at least a half hour. And James knows that when he wakes he's a bit tetchy, though he thinks his friends and family's claims of worse then a Hungarian Horntail are an exaggeration.

Sirius and Lily are still in the guest room, but both Peter and Remus are out of the master. Remus is engrossed in some book, whilst Peter is pretending to read the Prophet. James can see right through him, the least because his eyes aren't actually open. He strides through the living room without bothering to say good morning and rifles through his dresser to get new clothes. He changes, door wide open. There's no point in faking modesty when everyone in the house has seen him naked.

He closes his eyes and sticks his hand in the bin of socks. The socks are Peter's and his, and it's about bloody time. It's been four days since he's had sex with someone, which is utterly ridiculous. He charms the socks to stick to the door and then walks over to the couch his mates are sitting on.

"Make me breakfast," he demands. Peter doesn't respond, so James lifts his leg and nudges Peter with his toes and repeats the request. 

"Do I look like a maid?" Peter mumbles. But he stands, which surprises neither James nor Remus, who's watching the exchange over the top of his book. It's the way things always work.

The thing that makes Peter different from Sirius is that Peter worships his friends whilst Sirius loves his brothers. 

James sits at the kitchen table and watches Peter pour flour and water and other stuff into a bowl. James knows enough to know he's making pancakes, but is rather awed by Peter's ability to pour and get the right amount of the ingredient without measuring. It must come from getting a NEWT in Potions.

As the circles of batter fry Peter gets the butter and sugar out for Remus, and the syrup for James. He sets the table without a word, but when he opens the fridge he says "we're out of milk."

James simply cannot have pancakes without milk. It's like going on a kitchen raid without getting apples, or going to Honeydukes and not getting chocolate. It's technically possible, but it's utterly unthinkable. "How can we be out of milk? Get milk!"

"Do I look like a cow? Can I milk myself?" James thinks that Peter is fat and has a bit of boob to milk, but knows better than to say it. 

"We need to get milk. Come on, we're getting milk." 

There's not much of a difference usually, between best mates and brothers, worship and love. Either way, it results in the bloke doing what James wants. 

James apparates to the nearest wizard grocer. Peter is only a moment behind him, an inch or two from landing directly in the display of lettuce but there nonetheless. It only proves how often Peter is over making him a meal before a shag whilst Lily is out that Peter knows exactly what grocer James uses, and where the dairy section is.

They're in public, but it's their day, and he's James Potter and he can do what he want. So he presses Peter against the cool glass and snogs him, because it's what he wants. Peter's soft against him, trapped between the refrigerators and his torso, and James loves how contrasting he feels from Lily or Sirius. James puts his left hand against the door and the heat of it begins to fog the glass. His right hand is occupied with cupping Peter outside his trousers, aiming to get Wormtail as excited as he is.

Peter tilts his head to free his mouth. "James, we're in a store."

"So?"

"Do I look like a slag?" James doesn't respond. He doesn't need to, because when he recaptures Peter's lips Peter doesn't break away a second time. When James jerks his right hand up, Peter thrusts forward. When James meets Peter's thrust with his own, Peter's hands circle to rest on the curve of his arse.

Where the difference lies is in the attitude. They might both agree to do what he wants, but James can always sense when Sirius thinks it's a ridiculous idea, and it just doing it to support his brother. In Peter's case, it's immediate capitulation. Sometimes it seems like Peter doesn't have any of his own thoughts in his head, only suffers the whims of others patiently. It's only when he's smoking that he gains more of a personality, which is why James allows narcotics use without comment. 

Peter is sober, so Peter is _his_ , and James loves it. He loves it even more when Peter is stoned and still wants him, because then he knows it's truly what Peter wants. There's no better feeling in the world than being wanted.

 **Seven**  
He doesn't even know where they are, which is bad if they need to apparate away. It isn't strictly necessary, as long as you know where you want to go you should be alright. But for Remus, part of his thought process during apparition is always 'I am leaving here, and going there'. It won't be possible due to James side along apparating him, and he can only pray if something dreadful happens he doesn't splinch. 

It's obvious Sirius has been here before, James doesn't need to pop back into the house to get him. It's equally obvious Peter and Lily knew what he was on about, as they'd refused to 'go to the trees'. Remus wonders when exactly he became the one to know the least about James. It's odd, considering they occasionally shag. Then again, he's learned that's not exactly an exclusive club.

He was naive enough - or maybe just nostalgic for Hogwarts - to follow James and Sirius without asking where they were going. Now that he's here, he's at least not dumb enough to follow their actions.

On the other hand, he's not ordering them not to, or going back home to Peter and Lily. And really, how fucking scary is it that he's already thinking of James and Lily's home as his own?

His two black haired friends are stripping down, never mind that it's the middle of winter. A week until Christmas, it must be twelve degrees, and they're both nude except for boxers. Sirius strides to the nearest tree and hangs their clothes over a branch to keep them from wicking the water from the snow, then strides back to Remus. "Come on now."

"No. No nudity in the winter for me, thanks."

"It's not just nudity!" James shouts, a bit of a distance from them both. He points his wand directly at his bare feet and shouts a breaking hex. Just like that he plunges into water Remus hadn't known was there. Remus shouts his name, heart in his throat, wondering frantically if this is Imperio, if they've somehow gotten to the Marauders. James is going to drown, and knowing that they're all targets and believing that something bad will happen to them are completely different things. 

Remus doesn't know what to do first, try to rescue James, or check to see if Sirius has glazed over eyes too, or go back to the house and make sure Lily and Peter are safe, or try to contact other members of the Order or- his thoughts are spiralling, and whoever thought he'd make a good soldier for the resistance was insane, because he can't even make a simple decision as the second are ticking away and-

Sirius is running towards the hole in the ice, as James' head pops back through the water. Sirius leaps into the air and dives in the small hole as James repeats the curse to make a bigger circumference of open water. They're both _grinning_ , and it's then that Remus realises no one is dying, everyone is safe, he's just got morons for friends.

"Come on, jump in!"

"The water's nice!"

"Sod you both!" Remus calls back, pleasant tone contradicting the words.

Remus isn't one for beautiful imagery, though he has to admit he's probably better at it than Sirius. At the very least, more sincere. Still, James and Sirius look almost beautiful in the water, pink and black against the white-blue of the ice. Like elegant swimming swans or something. Of course, just as he says that Sirius bobs himself higher in the water and manages to dunk James completely under the surface, and then they're both just prats again.

Eventually they come out and James darts to the trees and passes Sirius his clothes. Remus feels the distinct urge to accio it all to teach them a lesson, but it's only rarely he acts on his compulsions and today is not the day. He clings to Sirius' sopping wet body as they go back to the house, and even in the brief moments it takes to apparate he's already cold.

"James and I are having a shower," he informs the room.

"But I-" Sirius starts.

"You're both prats, but it's my day and we're having a shower. You'll just have to use a drying charm." It's a poor substitute, Remus knows. For some reason the charm always seems to leave an oily residue. But he doesn't really give a toss at this point.

In the bathroom he watches James struggle out of the wet clothes he'd put on only a minute ago, waiting for the man to be fully nude before he began to strip himself. He makes sure to turn the water cooler than normal, even lukewarm will feel burning against James' skin. He watches as James inadvertently stretches as he climbs over the rim of the bathtub into the shower. And he watches, leaning against the cool tile, as James run a bar of green soap over his chest. 

"Make you a deal?" Remus offers.

"Oh?"

"I'll lick what you soap." Remus smirks, and James circles the soap over his nipple. He follows the soap down James' ribcage, across his torso, a swipe over his hip, before finally James snaps. It's one of his favourite things about James, he's not good at waiting.

There's just something about having a cock in your mouth that feels awesome. It's why Remus is of private mind, though he'd never be stupid enough to say it aloud, that all men should be bisexual and all women straight. Lesbians really don't know what they're missing.

 **Six**  
"So. Er-" is Lily's morning hello. 

"Yeah," is Sirius' distracted reply. He takes another sip of tea, his fourth cup this morning. Afternoon rather, as it's just past one. 

"It's our day." She fiddles with a few strands of her hair. 

"Right. I saw the socks." Does she think he's blind?

"Except you're gay." 

Sirius sighs, already bored with the conversation. He takes another sip of tea before answering "Doesn't matter." 

"But it does! Remus and Peter are bisexual but you're gay!" 

Lily's acting like she thinks it's unfair, which is bound to be a nightmare. In her Gryffindor, feminist, activist eyes, anything unfair is grounds for immediate protest. Sometimes Sirius feels like she's just a toddler. How can someone be nineteen and not understand the world is unfair? So what if he's gay. If the only way he's going to keep Remus and James and Peter is by shagging a woman every now and again it's a small price to pay. "We all have to make sacrifices." 

"Jesus Christ! I don't want to be a _sacrifice_!" With all her shouting, the Marauders should be watching them. Luckily James and Remus are out doing something unmentionable for Albus, and Peter is taking a shower.

"Lily, really. I know you and James haven't had your day yet, but you have to have figured out that things are going to get really horrible, really quickly if we don't all shag each other." Lily frowns, but she doesn't say anything and Sirius uses the silence to press on. "So we deal. You shag a bloke who has no interest in you and damage your self esteem a bit. I shag a woman though the idea is fairly disgusting. So stop thinking about it, and just kiss me."

As far as seduction goes, the speech is rather uninspiring. He can see Lily is in danger of beginning to protest again, and normally he likes that in a person. Changing things through sheer willpower is something a Gryffindor Black knows well and appreciates. But as the outcome is fixed, trying to change it can only result in more distressing conversation, and he's truly not in the mood. 

So to stop her he stands, pushes the cups of tea to the side of the table and hoists her up. She starts to ask him what he's doing, but he cuts her off with a kiss. Not one to be stopped so easily, she shoves at his chest until he takes a step back. "What?"

"Sirius, you don't want this."

"I _do_ " he says in a tone that brooks no argument, and it's almost strong enough to convince himself. 

He can feel the moment Lily gives in. Her posture changes, stiff and angry to loose and pliant. Her tongue traces his lips so he opens his mouth obediently. She starts off gently, then seems to realise that's not how blokes snog, and tries to pick up the pace. He won't stop because he's not sure he could make himself start again, but he mentally gives thanks for that help, and small miracles like Lily's lips not being smeared with disgusting lipstick.

With a now or never attitude, he unzips her jeans. She grabs hold of his shoulders whilst holding herself up so he can slip them from under her arse. For the first time he gets a good look at female bits, and tries his best to not pale. There's not enough hair and he gets a bit nauseated. But goddamn it, he is Sirius Black, and he can control everything. He takes a few deep breaths to steady himself and takes another look.

Everything is flat with no obvious instructions as to how to commence fucking. It must be obvious he's staring, Lily's hand slips between her legs and uses two fingers to hold herself apart. All of a sudden everything is reddish-pink and everything has multiple layers and it's no less confusing. How can Remus and James stand this? Not just with Lily, but with anyone? It's revolting, is what it is. 

"Sirius, you don't have to do this."

"Shut up. Just gimme a second." he staunchly looks away and pulls up one of his favourite wanking fantasies, Remus and James snogging at the breakfast table at Hogwarts. Good when he thought he and Remus were exclusive, it's a much better sight knowing that it could have been happening. He hasn't actually talked to either of his Marauders about when their relationship started. 

When he's hard enough he takes another step toward the table and thrusts blindly. "Oh, Sirius,' she sighs. Never has sex made two people more melancholy, but it has to be done. The hand that curls around him feels wrong, and he casts desperately for a memory of James blowing him to stay hard. The fingers guiding him have long fingernails, and this is the most wrong thing he's ever done, but if he'd die for the Marauders he'd certainly shag a woman for them. 

Sirius manages to stay hard by keeping a steady stream of memories in his mind. He can't bring himself to touch her breasts, but he thrusts in the slow rhythm that he knows Remus loves. Neither is close to orgasm, and Sirius can't see it happening soon. How depressingly amusing would it be for them to be fucking after Peter's out of the shower, after Remus and James get home, whilst Peter's making dinner, not because they're in the midst of tantric bliss, but because they just can't get up the hill that peaks in orgasm? It's a stalemate of the most pathetic sense. 

Finally Lily offers "How about we just work on ourselves?" 

Sirius nods in agreement, then spits on his hand. As he gratefully slides a finger into himself Lily's hand starts stroking at the skin right at the top of her folds. Judging by the look that quickly comes over her face, that's where her clit is. While Sirius wants no part in it, he is happy that she's able to help herself.

Her legs curl around his hips and pull him towards the table as she begins to shake, upper teeth firmly clamped on her bottom lip. Her cunt tightens around him and it's enough to spur him to orgasm in his first heterosexual experience. They stay locked together as their shaking subsides, then Sirius slips out.

"Do you want to go have a shower?" Lily asks, head tilted slightly, voice tired.

"No," Sirius snorts. "It's not like I feel unclean for doing that, it's just not my thing."

"We could have a cup of tea?" she tries. Sirius waves his wand to clean them both up, then moves to the counter.

A few minutes later he's taking his last sip. He swirls the cup then turns it so the handle is at the top. Again. "Fuck!"

"What?"

"Again. I got a fucking goose again!"

"Could you clarify that for me?"

"The tea leaves, they're a goose. This is my fifth cup this morning, and they've all been geese. Bloody hell."

"Could you clarify that for someone that never took Divinations?" Lily's smiling, but Sirius only scowls at her.

"Geese mean the arrival of unexpected and rather troublesome visitors. And with things the way they are, we need neither unexpected, nor troublesome people around."

"You think your cup of tea is saying we're about to have Death Eaters visit?"

"No, I think five cups of tea read by someone with a NEWT in Divinations alludes to the possibility of a visitor that's going to cause trouble or grief. And I don't like it, obviously, but there's no other way to read the leaves."

Lily frowns. "Should we tell Albus?"

"Maybe Albus is the reason my cousin is following Remus and James home this minute. Look, I'm not trying to get you so paranoid you can't breathe without twitching, but keep your wand at hand for the next few days, okay?" It's not much help, as Order members they all already do so. Still, it's the best advice he has, until the cups come up differently.

 **Five**  
They always talk about the future after they make love. Neither is the type to get sleepy after orgasm, and the conversations that have come with the pleasant afterglow are some of the best she's had with her husband. But when their names are finally drawn, and they're together for the first time in a week the future is the last thing Lily wants to talk about. For the first time she wishes she could pretend to snore and James would believe it. He wouldn't, not for a moment, there's no point in even trying.

Still, she doesn't know what to say. She's not sure she can get her thoughts out coherently, and when discussing with James Potter one needs to be very clear and emphatic if they want to be listened to. Lily fears either being too emotional or too intellectual, and as she searches for the right opening statement, James cuts to the heart of it.

"So, do you want to marry three other people?" 

The question is horribly unfair. "You can't put this just on me! It's _our_ relationship James." 

"Our marriage. But you already know my answer, Lils. I love you, and I love them. And I do." 

Her mind is in a tizzy, has been since James dragged her out of bed to confront everyone about cheating, has been since completely gay Sirius had sex with her to make others happy. Like a tropical depression working up to a tropical storm to finally a tropical cyclone, Lily is spinning in the idea that James wants long term group sex. She sits up, hoping to quell the storm in her stomach. "You want to marry them."

"Well, it's not like it'll be legal." James reaches out and grabs her robe from the back of the door set they never use. It's comforting against her still flushed skin.

"But you would if you could."

"Hell, sometimes I feel like I married them all at eleven, and just didn't realise it for years." Lily knew as far back as fifth year that if she ever said yes to nagging prat Potter asking for a date, she would in affect be dating his best mates as well. All females know potential boyfriends come with mates you have to at least pretend to get on with.

"And if I said no to a committed group, and vowed to never see them again? Honestly? I would probably continue to shag them anyway. And even if I didn't, you would never believe me saying I haven't. You could never trust me again, because you'd always know that I'd want to, even if I didn't."

Lily thinks of herself five years in the future. The Death Eaters are still killing, Voldemort still striving to reign over Wizard Britain. But she won't care, because James didn't come home last night, and even though Albus and five other Order members swear he's on a mission, she knows he's with Sirius. 

"For that matter, you've now slept with all three of my best mates. If you said you'd stopped, how could I believe you, knowing how good Remus and Peter are?" Lily wants to protest that she would stop, but doesn't for two reasons. The first being the matter isn't whether or not she would stop, it's if James could believe her, which is out of her control. The second is if she's completely honest, she's not sure she could stop forever. Sure, she could stop for months, maybe even a year. But eventually she'd want to taste Peter's casserole and she'd invite him over one night and as it was in the stove they'd fall to the floor and begin to make love.

"Not to mention, if Padfoot and Moony and Wormtail aren't our friends anymore, who do we have? Alice and Frank?" utterly devoted to each other, but completely boring. " _Marlene_?"

"Why would we have to stop being friends with them? Just because we weren't shagging we would stop talking to them?"

James rolls his eyes at her. "Lily, don't even try it. You know as well as I do that we're addicted to them. So we're left with two options, fall back into old habits, or run away because we think it's bad. One's easy, one's hard."

"Easier isn't always better," she whispers.

"No, but it's not always the wrong decision either. But you have to tell me what you think. You've said barely anything."

She'll lose the fight if she can't argue coherently. But she's not really arguing with James, they're in the midst of the same struggle, drowning in the same tidal wave of potential futures. So really, what's it matter if she can't say everything in an organised manner? "Remus and Sirius have already said yes, haven't they?"

"I haven't talked to them, but I think so, yeah." It must be so much easier for them. They aren't married, they don't know the pressures of family and society to be happy and fulfilled and produce children who are happy and content. She doubts they ever would, but they can break up without it being a thing of shame. Hell, neither of them has even talked to their parents in years!

"And Peter wants it, doesn't he."

"I'm sure he does. But it's not up to the three of them. Lily, you still haven't said what you, _just you_ think."

"I think that Remus is the best lover I've ever had, that Sirius is so goddamn noble he'd shag a woman to save the world, and that Peter needs us or he'll get arrested by some stupid law follower. I think that my mum and dad will never talk to me again, I think that the Order will never understand and there will be pathetic rumours for the rest of our lives. I think that I love you, James Potter, more than I've ever loved anyone else, but I need more, and I think that you love me but you can't help but love the rest of your Marauders, and that's something I can never be, and to ask you to chose would be cruel. And it might ruin our marriage. I think that the future is a terrifying thing, and now I only have to be terrified you'll die, but if we do this I'll have to worry about Remus and Sirius and Peter too. Except that's a lie, because I already do worry about them. I think I'll want a baby in the future, and how the hell will that work? I think that I hate you a little for suggesting this. And the small part of me that's brave thinks that this could be amazing. But most of me is just scared, and really doesn't want to talk about it any more. We've got two days before we have to talk about it, so let's stop talking and you just hug me."

Lily lies back down, robe fuzzy against her skin and James' stomach as he spoons her. And James doesn't say anything, and Lily doesn't say anything, because sometimes silence is the best thing you can give someone you care about. And if she briefly imagines five dissimilar hands, scarred, chubby, hairy, long fingered, and calloused, all with a golden band encircling one finger, nobody has to know.

 **Four**  
It's barely six am when James gets up to use the loo. By the time he's finished he's awake enough to do the socks for the day. There are only two pairs left, and then they'll have to have a very awkward group conversation. But that doesn't need to be thought about so early, so he stumbles back to the master bedroom. 

The next time he gets up it's because a dog is nosing his thigh. Not Padfoot, which would be strange only in that Sirius would never be up so early on purpose. Instead it's a small Jack Russell patronus, which James knows belongs to Alice. It doesn't bare any warning message, so he snaps at it to go away. 

Moments later he hears the floo open, so he grabs his robe from the door and steps into the living room. His visitors comprise of Alice, Marlene, and Dorcas. Any of the three alone are tolerable, but unfortunately they're almost always together. He doesn't remember if it was Remus or Sirius who first called them a flock of birds, but it fits. Dorcas prods for secrets like a woodpecker looking for bugs, Marlene has the shrillest and most irritating voice, as though a rooster could talk, and all it takes is a single drink for Alice to start babbling like a sparrow.

James doesn't know why the birds have come calling, but he's got a bad feeling about it. He automatically backs away from them into the door, then realises there are socks stuck to it. He quickly snatches them down and prays that none of them ask, as he can't think of an excuse for the life of him. Either he's losing his Marauderish ways, or it's just much too early for thinking. "What's going on?"

"You're coming over in a few hours." Dorcas says. 

James tries to think, grumpy morning haze making his mind slow. Where is everyone and how can he explain having friends over so early? He doesn't know exactly what time it is, but the sun isn't quite up yet. 

The back door opens and Peter comes in still coughing. James knows he must reek of pot, and while the Marauders don't care no one else knows and it is illegal. If it gets back to Albus the old man might think Peter's a drug addict and not trust him and that's the last thing anyone needs. His stress level ratchets up a notch.

"So whose turn is it today? Oh, hi." He doesn't see Lily come out of the bedroom, but she's standing beside him in his matching robe. Which would be fine, albeit a bit more sexual than the birds usually see them, except Peter is staring at them eyes wide and red in drug hazed shock. And whilst James doesn't blame Peter for being horrified at the sight of the guests, nor at being distracted by two beautiful people in loosely tied robes that barely cover Lily's tits or his prick, it would be a horrible thing for any of the birds to notice.

"Me and Lily are going where?"

Dorcas isn't looking at them though, she's staring back at Peter. And then Remus walks out of the guest room nude, and everyone's gaze changes. He's half way through a good morning before he notices the guests and darts back into the bedroom. James feels like he's going to faint.

"You're coming to a Christmas party." Marlene screeches.

"We were going to spend the morning talking to the different members of the Order, but thanks, you've cut a few houses off our list."

"What?" he asks numbly, recognising too late that providing Dorcas with more room to talk is a bad thing.

"Well, since Peter and Remus are here, we don't have to go see them next. Why are they here, actually?" 

Dorcas acts as though she deserves answers. It's an attitude that normally works, most people are cowed into obeying her. It's why she makes such a good operative for the Order, she has a brilliant ability to make people cower. Brilliant when she's not trying to use it on you, anyway. But James is not the cowering type, and he says nothing, only glares at them all. 

Thankfully Alice soon reignites the conversation. "We're doing it this afternoon, because Benjy is going to Spain later tonight and we wanted to include him."

"Who's house?"

"Me and Frank formally invite you to come see our new flat." 

"Well, thanks for the invitation and we'll see you in a few hours but if you'd please leave so I could go back to bed?"

"James!" Lily acts lik the indignant wife with an elbow to the ribs. He's not worried, he knows she dislikes the birds too, and surely she realises the longer they stay the more likely it is they'll figure something weird is going on.

"Er, alright then, James. We'll see you at noon. It's BYOB."

"That's fine. Goodbye." He doesn't wait for them to leave before he goes back into his bedroom and slams the door. Fucking bints, always have to ruin a good morning. 

Six hours later and he's in nearly the same position, though at least he's dressed. Facedown in the pillow he groans, and Sirius chucks something at him through the open doors.

"Lighten up!"

"Fuck off. That was horrible!"

"You drank enough to be happy." Remus mutters.

"No, I drank enough to not kill everyone in the room. Remind me why they're our friends?"

"So that when the Death Eaters attack Marlene doesn't say 'Right, you're on your own then' and fuck off?" Lily suggests. He hears her coming into the bedroom and he's sure she's taking off her dress, but he can't be bothered to look up.

"Why in the fuck did everyone keep calling us the happy couple?"

"Because they don't know you two are a bunch of cheating perverts?" That one belongs to Peter.

"Would you all stop answering my rhetorical questions!"

"No," Sirius snickers, and James sits up only so he can slide the shoe off his foot and throw it at Padfoot.

"Er," Remus starts, then trails off.

"Yeah?"

"Was it just me, or did that feel really awkward?"

"It was more than awkward, it was a sodding nightmare."

"No, besides that. I mean, did anyone feel like they wanted to dance with James or drink a shot from Peter's mouth but couldn't?" James stares at Remus, who's supposed to be the one least likely to like the plan he's going to suggest in two days time. Everyone else is staring too, and he blushes under the attention. "Right. Sorry. Never mind."

"No. I mean, yes. I mean, yes, I would have enjoyed dancing with Prongs. Or when we were talking to Frank, I wanted to put my arm around your shoulder. Couldn't, of course. But I thought about it." James smiles at Peter, glad to see him showing his Gryffindor daring and admitting to it.

"Does anyone want to continue the drinking?" Sirius suggests, waving his half full bottle of Firewhiskey. Lily shrugs and joins Sirius and Remus on the couch, and Peter grabs the errant pillow so he can sit comfortably on the floor. James smiles again. Now this is what a real party is.

 **Three**  
Time and time again Peter has proven that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, but the way to a woman's heart lies in the same path. 

Lily watches intently as Peter whips eggs in one tray and pours flour into the next. He gets two types of crackers and uses a rolling pin to smash them into smithereens. The butter sizzles against the heat of the frying pan, and she revels in the sound. The meat is dipped first in the flour then in the egg batter before going in the cracker crumbs. When it's placed into the frying pan, the sudden hiss makes Lily want to snog Peter. He sprinkles a variety of spices over the slowly browning forms; Lily hadn't even known she owns spices, they must have been one of the many useless wedding gifts.

Just as the first pieces of veal are sliding onto her plate, oily and rich, the others come in. Lily wants to hex all three of them, nothing heavy, just enough to get the point across. She'd sent them out earlier with a few galleons to spend at the pub, specifically so they wouldn't ruin this moment.

"Ohh, Peter's made dinner!"

"Out! It's mine." A bit harsh, perhaps, but it's not like James and Sirius are listening to her anyway. All three are gathered around the stove, inhaling the delicious sent of the finely cooked dinner.

"I'm serious, Peter and I are having dinner. Go back to the pub."

"Why would we eat pub food when we could eat his?" Remus asks logically. Lily is not in the mood for logic at this point. 

"There's not enough to share, you prats. Out."

"I can make seconds," Peter offers, trapped between pleasing those he cares about.

"No. This is my night, and you're making me a seductive dinner, and you won't have time to make seconds because you'll be shagging me. James, Remus, Sirius, out. Eat pub food, or eat at a proper restaurant or eat your own excrement, I don't care. But out, right now!"

All four stare at her, Peter in shock whilst the other three try to determine if she's likely to give in if they work at it. She's proud when Sirius shakes his head and says 'bloody Evans', and they all tramp back out the door.

"It's not that good. Is it?" 

"You cook like a master chef, Peter. Do everyone a favour and don't underestimate yourself. When James wants you to make breakfast, demand that he mow the lawn first."

"I live in a flat?"

"Or something." Lily blushes at revealing her secret wants, though she's not sure Peter's caught it. "They all order you around, stop taking their shit. And pass me another cutlet please."

Peter digs his spatula under one and places it on her outstretched plate, then gets another plate for himself. "You know, I think I actually kind of like their shit. Makes me feel needed. If James and Sirius didn't have me to bother, they'd bother Remus, and he'd take it too personally and withdraw, or they'd bother each other and get into a fight and never patch up."

Lily doesn't know what to think. It does seem partially like the abused making excuses. On the other hand, there's no question it's true, at least in their Hogwarts selves. James and Sirius have gotten less biting, and Lily thinks everyone's the better for it. So she doesn't say anything, only takes another bite of her cutlet. 

"You really think I'm a good cook." 

Lily stifles the urge to sigh at the fishing for compliments when she realises it's likely Peter's never actually gotten compliments. There was never a James waxing melodic about every quality of his being, even if they'd been shagging since Hogwarts, which she hasn't asked. She doesn't really want to know, just as she's sure James doesn't want to know how long it's been between her and Remus or her and Peter. "You have tasted it, haven't you? You should go to France, become a famous cordon bleu chef."

"The only people I know in France are my aunt and cousin, and I won't ever become anything like those screeching old hens."

"So learn here then. But learn, or at least think about it. Me and James think about the future a lot, after all the death is over he's going to open a shop."

"Personally I think he'll be rubbish at it. He'll get arrested. He won't let people leave his shop without buying something, the pushy berk, and he'll get arrested for harassment." 

Lily laughs. "I've always thought the same, actually. But that's not the point, the point is having a dream to get you by all the sorrow."

Peter nods his head and doesn't say anything. For a minute Lily wonders if she's just another person cowing him, but really, he's the biggest pushover she's ever known. They continue the meal in silence, and when she's full and sated the question comes out. "What did you make for dessert?"

"Nothing. But I could whip-"

"Mind if I have you?" It's supposed to be seduction, but Peter bursts into laughter. 

"You realise that's extremely corny, right?"

"You realise if you shut up I'll blow you, right?" Peter stops immediately, and pushes his chair away from the table. Lily hums in contentment around his cock, well aware that once he comes he'll return the favour and go down on her. It's supposedly improper to compare prior lovers to your present lover, but seeing as Lily's never stopped with either of them the adage doesn't really apply. Therefore, it's fair to say Peter's the best cuntlicker she knows.

 **Two**  
It's somewhat ironic, James thinks, that the last day of this experiment is set for Sirius and himself. After all, it's what prompted the initial idea. Don't get him wrong, he loves to shag Remus. The werewolf has an insane amount of stamina and can get delightfully possessive around the moon. And he loves to shag Peter. Wormtail provides sex in which James can do whatever he wants and have it be enjoyed, not to mention how good Peter is with a blowjob or rimming. But he thinks back to his conversation with Lily and knows it was a bit of a lie. It would be difficult, but he probably could stop shagging Peter and Remus, if he and his wife vowed to stop shagging other people. 

But Sirius. He could never, _ever_ stop with Sirius. Sometimes he thinks he loves Sirius more than Lily, because Sirius understands every single thing he's ever said or done, and Lily occasionally struggles. Fucking Sirius is almost like fucking himself, not that he thinks he's that narcissistic. 

They've already shagged once, and James has no question that it's going to happen at least once or twice more today. He and Lily talk after sex, but he and Sirius just lie on their backs and think. Or at least James thinks, he's never pried into what Sirius does. Maybe he's sleeping with his eyes open, like his mum can. 

Upon hearing the whistle of Remus making tea James decides it's a good idea to regain fluids. He stands and pulls on his jeans, forsaking pants, and leaves the bedroom. A quick nod to Peter and Lily on the couch before he joins Remus in the kitchen, who senses his presence. "So I'm pouring five cups then. What do you want in it?"

"We'll both take ours black" Sirius cuts in before James can suggest a dash of milk. He doesn't particularly like straight tea, but it's obvious that Sirius wants to take a look at their leaves and he can't do that with tainted tea.

Remus leaves two cups on the table before balancing the other three on a plate and taking it into the living room. James sips at his tea in silence, listening to his mates argue about the Wasps chances this year without getting involved himself. He knows without Sirius requesting to swirl his cup once as he finishes the tea. Sirius does his own cup first, then takes a look at his. James waits, his tension building as Sirius squints. He's not sure how much Remus or Peter believes, but he, Lily, and Sirius all believe in Divinations; future telling and prophecies. The things Sirius sees always come true, as recently as four days ago he'd informed the house they were going to have troublesome visitors, and the bloody Order birds came over and forced them to go to a horrid party.

Sirius' concentrating expression breaks into a smile and James all but sighs in relief. "What did you see?"

"It's all coming up animals." James rolls his eyes - half the possible symbols are animals. "More specifically, turtles and doves. Lucky us! That's prosperity, affection, wealth and luxury."

"So we're going to live happily ever after, is what you're telling me."

"Happily, richly ever after, actually, Prongs my boy." Sirius bends across the table to seize James' face and kiss him delightedly on the forehead. James knows exactly how he feels. They always know how each other feel. To get a reading of love and money in times where a reading of death or pain is much more likely is something to be thrilled about.

He wrenches his head from Sirius' grasp so he can lean in for a proper snog. He tastes of bitter undiluted tea, but that's not really a call for concern. The first time they'd snogged he'd tasted of old Knuts, copper and dirt and sweat and James' lips had come away bloody. 

They kiss until James' back is quivering from bending over the table without his arms for support for so long. He pulls his fingers out of Sirius' hair and tugs him towards the bedroom. "If you'll excuse us, we're going to go shag again," he explains briefly as they pass through the living room.

Not wearing pants is always a brilliant idea, because when Sirius shoves him against the wall all he has to do is open the fly and he's in Pads' hand. He should be reciprocating, but one hand is already back in Sirius' hair and the other is perched on the middle of his back. The longer he has is tongue in Sirius' mouth, the less he tastes like harsh tea, or maybe that's just an illusion and James just isn't noticing because Sirius' thumb is rubbing the slit of his cock. Either way it doesn't really matter, all that matters is that he has as much bodily contact as he can.

He keeps thrusting forward as Sirius' hand speeds up, and Sirius keeps using his free hand to shove James back against the wall, and with the constant thudding sound he wonders if the others think they're fucking. In his mind this doesn't quite qualify as fucking, but it's not like he's going to stop to complain. 

This goes on for awhile, and he keeps thinking he should help Sirius out, but James fucking loves Sirius' long hair and doesn't want to move that hand, and he fucking loves the way Sirius' muscles move under his skin so he doesn't want to move that hand. Warm splatter hits his belly, and it's only then that he realises when Sirius' hand wasn't shoving him back against the wall he was stroking himself. He can't see the change in Sirius' expression because he's snogging him and would go cross-eyed if he tried, but he's panting into his mouth, and that's it for James. He comes in Sirius' grip, and probably on the floor as well, but he can take care of that later.

He doesn't want to stop kissing Sirius until they get hard again and fuck, he doesn't want to ever not be kissing Sirius, but the man breaks away and flops down on the bed. He's the image of debauchery, messy hair and covered in sweat, cock flaccid and out of jeans with the waistband around his thighs. James smiles and stretches out beside Sirius, content in the ensuing silence, sure that when Sirius is ready to start talking, he'll be ready to start fucking.

 **One**  
Sirius wakes up without anyone nudging him, and as if that's not enough surprise, it looks like he's the first one awake. James is silent, and there's no sliver of light streaming in between the curtain and the wood of the doors leading to the living room. He carefully climbs over James to grab his clothes and upon entering the living room confirms his suspicions. Nobody has made tea, nobody is in the shower. They aren't even away to talk to Order members. Peering into the guest room shows Peter and Remus and Lily are all still in their beds.

It's a first for Sirius, being the only one awake. He sits in his chair in the dark living room for over ten minutes before he understands. Or at least he thinks he does. To test his theory he goes back to the master and lights a Lumos. Sure enough James pulls the blankets over his face. He's not even shouting, which means he's been awake long enough to get over his bitchy morning phase.

"Get up." James doesn't respond. "Get up!" James still doesn't say anything, so Sirius grabs the blankets and pulls them completely off his still body. "Go brush your teeth and make some fucking tea."

He repeats this three more times, with various levels of vigour. All it takes for Peter is to start throwing clothes at him, and for Lily, she needs a healthy fit of swearing. Remus is the most difficult, Sirius has to levitate his mattress then flip it upside down. Remus glares from the floor, but he gets up.

He's last for a turn in the loo. By the time he gets out there are three empty cups of tea between the four of them. He takes them and quickly looks at their contents before placing them beside the sink. He doesn't say anything of what he's read, but he doubts he's fooling anyone. He reads cups like others read the Daily Prophet. 

The future forecast isn't too bad. The cup with the pink flowers has a pear, new plans. The blue cup has a tree, good health and prosperity. The white cup has a cluster of birds, which can be either swift decisions or delays in receiving wanted news depending on a defining characteristic that Sirius can't remember, and he certainly doesn't have time to pop home and get out his tasseography book. He'd love for the cups to be figs for joy and abundance and frogs for love, but new plans and decisions will have to do.

"We should say something, instead of just staring at each other," Remus suggests. Sirius thinks that's inaccurate, as Remus is staring firmly at the table, not at any person.

"We should talk about what we're going to do." Lily says.

"We should stop acting like we don't know what we all want!" Sirius shouts.

"We should remember that what we want isn't always the best thing to do!" Lily shouts back, still using "we" but obviously the words are aimed at him.

"We should stop being such fucking cowards!" he replies.

"We should stop shouting at each other." Remus says, but this time his suggestion is ignored.

"It's not cowardly to think about the future and try to figure out what's best!"

"It's fucking damn cowardly to let fears about the future take away any happiness you might have today!"

"Both of you shut up. You're both right." Sirius looks at Peter, surprised to hear him jump into an argument. If anything it should be James, who's sitting with his elbow on the table and his hand over his eyes. "It's a matter of weighing things, unknown future and today's potential."

It's all going to hell in a handbasket. James isn't offering an opinion, Lily is turning into a coward, Peter's being wise... what's the world coming to?

"I'm sorry, but I shan't be spending my morning listening to you fight." Remus stands, and for a brief terrifying moment Sirius thinks he's going to apparate away. But he only retreats into the living room. 

Without anyone suggesting it, they migrate after him. They all sit, except for James who grabs the bin of socks. He puts his on his left foot, leaving the right bare. Lily tries an underhanded toss into the bedroom with hers, Peter shoves his in his pocket, and Sirius doesn't know what to do with his so he just puts it on the coffee table.

It's when James tries to pass Remus' threadbare sock to him that things change. Remus grabs James' arm and yanks him down to capture him in a kiss. It's the first time Sirius has seen Remus sexual outside the master bedroom, and in his head he's cheering on his werewolf. Lily sucks in a breath, and Sirius decides the best thing to do is tag team her. He turns so he's half facing Peter and pulls him close, fingers clasping his t-shirt. 

"I'm going to snog you now," he says, and then does. Peter's red when he pulls away, obviously not used to being affectionate in front of others. Not that Remus and James are going to notice. Since the last time he's looked at them, James has slipped off both his and Remus' trousers. He's straddling Remus in Padfoot's armchair, grinding his cock against Remus' belly. As Sirius watches, Remus' wand comes out. He can't hear what spell he says, but the wand is tossed to the ground and Remus' hands are pulling at James' arsecheeks. A finger slides inside his best mate, and there's nothing Sirius wants to do more than watch.

At least until Peter slides to the floor, shoving the coffee table haphazardly out of his way. He wriggles out of his clothes and looks at Sirius expectantly, and how is he supposed to refuse that? So he joins him, mouth on Peter's cock in mere moments. His jaw aches pleasantly as he bobs his head, one of Peter's hands woven through his long hair. It seems to be a common theme with all three of the Marauders, and he vows to never cut it.

He startles when he opens his eyes -they automatically close when he's giving head- and there's a face millimetres from his. As he moves away Lily usurps his place. Far from being angry, he laughs. So all it takes is a bit of action for Lily to change her mind? That'll be good to know for the future.

Sirius crawls a few feet until he's at Peter's face, then with permission asked only with body language, positions himself so Peter can angle his head to suck him. He looks back and forth between Peter's lips stretched wide and pink around his cock to James riding Remus like he's never had anything so good in his life. He even once looks behind him, to see that Lily's shirt is off and she's pinching her nipples whilst bouncing on Peter's prick.

Swift decisions? Check. New plans? Not really, the plan is the same as it was the day James inspired them all; make sure they can all continue to love each other. Good health? Well, hopefully none of them have an STD.

Sirius loves Divinations because it's fantastically vague. It tells you just enough so that you have a bit of a guide without spoiling everything. He doesn't want to know how they'll make this work - it'll ruin the fun of living it. He's content in the shared knowledge of yesterday's cup, affection will continue to occur. That's enough for now.

 **How Things Begin**  
Peter passes Ignatius to Remus, who fussily adjusts his blanket. Remus's hands are gentle against Iggy, holding him steady even though the full moon was only yesterday. 

James murmurs the same spell he's been working on the entire day, but this time it works. Each branch of the tree turns a different vibrant colour from the original dark green. Most of the ornaments on their tree don't match, and all clash with the tree branches, but Peter loves it. A colourful and unorganised tree is far better than the perfectly classy one his mum would hire someone to craft each year, with matching wreath on the door and candle sconces on the wall. 

Christmas is five days away, and they have no relatives coming. James' father has passed away, a day that broke everyone's heart. Sirius' father has passed away, a day which upset no one, and seeing as he wasn't invited to the funeral they all feel disinclined to invite his mother to their celebration. Remus hasn't spoken to his mother in years, and his father is out of the country. And he and Lily's families find their choice ungodly and disgusting.

Nor do they have friends coming. Everybody seems highly unimpressed with their choice, those that are still alive anyway. Peter never would have thought he'd miss having his secrets pried open and used in an anecdote, but now that Dorcas is gone he thinks it wasn't the worst thing. Of course, Albus still needs them, even if his eyes don't twinkle at them they way they used to. They still go on missions, they just don't get to go to the pub afterwards.

Remus curls his hands around Iggy's torso and holds him so that he's looking right at the tree. "Isn't it pretty?" Remus coos. Iggy doesn't answer, not even a gurgle. But to be fair, babies can't talk and Peter thinks he's read somewhere that they don't see in colour until they're older.

"I'm going for a smoke, anyone want to join?" he asks, not expecting agreement. Sure enough Remus continues to hold Iggy as James plucks an ornament off the tree and dangles it in front of his son, and Lily wraps her arm around Sirius and they watch fondly. Peter takes one last look at them before rapidly climbing up to the second floor. 

With five people paying one mortgage they were able to afford a large house. Each of them have a study on the upper floor. Peter uses his for smoking, spells cast to make sure the smoke can't escape the room and harm Ignatius in any way. Peter would do anything to prevent his son from being hurt, he'd quit smoking but no one seems to think it necessary. 

Once the door is locked he casts another healing charm on his hand. It would be better for Lily or Sirius to do it, but he doesn't want to involve them. They'll ask how he broke his fingers, and telling them he got in a fight will only lead to more questions. They don't need to know he didn't take kindly to Nedmir Nott asking him for information on the Order, suggesting something could happen to Iggy if he didn't tell. All in all it had been a quick affair. He was checking the dates on the jugs of pumpkin juice at the grocers, Nott opened his stupid mouth, Peter broke his hand closing it, he paid for the pumpkin juice, and went home. 

A few puffs of a joint help ease the pain more than his hastily applied charm does, and he thinks that if it's not better by the morning he'll go to St. Mungo's. Provided that one of the four of them will be home to look after Iggy, because their son obviously matters more.

For now he'll let the pot haze the ache in his hand, and go back downstairs and maybe be Wormtail for a bit, because their son seems to like that.


End file.
